THE Public Attorney’s Office said Sunday it had gathered enough evidence to pin down those responsible for the the killing of alleged drug courier Kian delos Santos.
PAO chief Persida Acosta told ANC’s Dateline Sunday the government was doing its best to find the truth behind the killing of not only Delos Santos but also of Carl Angelo Arnaiz and Reynaldo “Kulot” de Guzman.
“We have more than sufficient evidence on the case of Kian, Carl Angelo and Kulot,” Acosta said. He said all the cops of the Caloocan police stations tagged in the killings should also be respondents to the cases.
Police Officers Arnel Oares, Jeremias Pereda and Jerwin Cruz, who were tagged in the killing of Delos Santos, said in their joint counter-affidavit that the slain teenager was a drug courier and insisted that their actions were “above board.”
But Acosta said the accused policemen must back their claims with evidence and not just with hearsay and social media posts.
Acosta is set to present eye witnesses on the killing of Delos Santos before the Senate Committee on Public Order and Dangerous Drugs Monday.
Meanwhile, Malacañang said Sunday the overhaul of the entire Caloocan police force amid the questions on the killings of several teenagers showed the Philippine National Police’s commitment to cleanse its ranks of “scalawags.”
In a statement, Presidential Spokesman Ernesto Abella said the PNP was continuing its efforts to instill discipline among its personnel amid the controversies facing it.
“The official relief of the Caloocan City Police Station personnel over the weekend and their retraining, which will start tomorrow, demonstrate the firm commitment of the Philippine National Police to continuously cleanse its ranks of misfits and scalawags and maintain the integrity of the organization,” Abella said.